Mari sat there in shock. There had to be some mistake. "Can you repeat that please?"

"It says 'Half of my finances are to go to my daughter Mariah Gerry, and the remaining half, along with my estate, is to go to Isaac Taylor.'"

"Wow," Mari whispered. What would she do with all that money?

—————

"Hey, Mari," Matt smiled.

"Hi, Matt," Mari sighed. "Look, I'm going to cut to the chase. My father left me a very large sum of money. I would like to give it to you."

"W-what?" Matt stammered. "But- why?"

"I am aware that you and Catherine are wanting to get married. I also know that neither of you exactly has the funds for a wedding, or for the elaborate proposal that I know you'll do, or for the expensive ring I know you want to get," Mari said with a little knowing smile. "Catherine is my best friend and I want the two of you to have everything you want. Getting married is, after all, a very important step."

Matt sat there in silence, letting Mari's words fully take effect. "Mari," he said softly, "I can't thank you enough."

Mari smiled and pulled him into a hug. "You're welcome."

"Do you think I could ask you a few questions about the proposal?"

"Sure," Mari chuckled.

—————

"Where would you guys even get married?"

"I don't know, Carlos," Catherine moaned. "There's way too many options. I would prefer an outdoor ceremony, but I don't know how Matt would feel about that. Besides, we aren't even engaged. God knows when that will be."

"Wasn't there a time limit or something? I thought I heard you say two months."

"On the nine and a half year mark of Lotte's death, at the masquerade, Matt said that he'd propose in a year. Well, that's in two months. I don't know if I can wait that long to be quite honest."

"Well," Carlos sighed, "I wouldn't worry too much. It'll happen when it happens, and when it does, it'll be perfect."

"Thanks, Carlos."

—————

"Mari," Matt sighed.

"Don't, Matt," Mari said firmly. "I want you to take it. Money's never meant much to me. It's more important that you and Catherine get the wedding you want. Is it necessary for me to tell you a sixth time?"

Matt shook his head. "It's just- it's a lot of money."

"It's nothing," Mari shrugged, holding the check out to Matt. "Take it. Think of it as a wedding present."

"Alright," Matt sighed in defeat. "I should have never agreed to this in the first place. You really should keep the money."

"I'm single and I like my life. What would I use it for?" Mari scoffed. "You and Cath are trying to start a life together. You deserve this."

"Thank you," Matt smiled. "I think I'm going to visit the jewelry store nearby."

"Okay," Mari chuckled. "Have fun."

—————

Josh bounced the small rubber ball off the door and sighed. He missed his apartment.

"Josh?" Mari's voice called. "Josh, I know you're in there."

Of course he was in there. He'd locked himself in for the last week and a half.

"What do you want?" He pouted, not moving from his spot on his bed.

"Can I come in?" Mari asked softly.

"I don't know...can you?" Josh mumbled childishly, burying his face in a pillow.

Catherine put a hand on Mari's shoulder and produced a key. "I got this," she chuckled. She unlocked the door and opened it. "You're welcome," she grinned teasingly at Josh, walking off to the kitchen.

Josh buried his red face under the covers and thought of a million ways to get back at Catherine. "What do you want, Mariah?"

Mari sat down on the bed and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Josh, what's wrong?"

Josh shook her hand off, his voice muffled by the pillow. "Please go away. I don't want you seeing me."

"Josh, come on," Mari said softly. "Talk to me."

"It's stupid."

"No, it's not. Just talk to me."

Josh moaned in exasperation. "I just miss him, okay?! I miss him and I'm mad that I do."

"Carter?"

Josh's voice broke slightly. "Carter. And...Dad and...I should have known better than to get attached."

"It's alright to miss someone," Mari said softly. "You shouldn't be mad about it."

Josh sat up, his eyes aflame. "And what happens when I lose you?"

Mari wrapped her arms around him. "You won't lose me."

"That's what Dad said," Josh scoffed, "before he died."

"Do you know why he said that?" Mari asked, putting a hand on his chest. "Because no one is ever truly gone."

Josh quickly stood up and moved away. "Careful," he scolded himself internally.

"Gone? Maybe not," he frowned. "But they die. They die and I'm left to pick up the pieces."

"You should talk to Catherine," Mari suggested. "She definitely knows what you're talking about."

"I don't want to talk to anyone," Josh muttered. "I wanna stay in here and rot until I die. Or die and rot. Whichever comes first."

"That's a morbid thought," Mari cringed.

"Gosh, Mari," Josh groaned, "we've gotta stop this."

"Stop what?" She chuckled.

"Hm?" Josh hummed, looking up in alarm. "I didn't say anything."

"Okay," Mari said slowly. "Are you sure that missing Dad and Carter is all that's on your mind?"

"Of course," Josh spluttered. "I mean, forget about my sucky childhood and the fact that I can't show my face at a Pizza Hut without fearing the FBI is gonna shoot me dead."

"I thought my father took care of all that."

"Yeah," Josh mumbled. "Doesn't matter much. No government agency will ever hire me ever again."

"Maybe I don't want you working for the government," Mari shrugged.

Josh looked at her in surprise. "What?"

"Nothing. I said nothing," Mari said quickly. "Do you- um...do you want to go out and do something?"

Josh looked at her blankly, trying to think things into order. "What?"

"Do we want to go somewhere?"

"What did you say? Before that?"

"Nothing," Mari shrugged.

"Mariah," Josh said sternly.

"Josh," she said in a teasing tone.

"No, Mariah, I'm not joking," he said as his eyes glared dangerously. "What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything," Mari laughed, holding up her hands in defense.

"Did you say something to someone?" Josh asked defensively.

"What? No!"

"No?" Josh said skeptically

"No," Mari sighed.

Josh's eyes narrowed. "You're acting weirder than normal."

Mariah scoffed. "You're one to talk."

"What's going on?!"

"Okay. You've lost it."

"I think I have," Josh laughed.

"So..." Mari said slowly, "do we want to do something?"

"Mari," Josh laughed sadly, "what is this? And I don't mean this but-" he gestured between them. "What is this?"

"Not working," Mari sighed. "I don't want to just be your friend, Josh."

"W-what?"

"I miss...being with you. Like with you, with you."

"Oh."

"I miss us," Mari continued. "I never really wanted time away. I just went along with it because you wanted it, but it was never what I wanted."

"I see."

"Oh," Mari said with a hint of sadness in her tone. "I'm going to...uh, talk to Catherine now."

"Right," Josh stammered. "Okay."

Mari left the room and went to the kitchen. "I'm going to be single forever," she sighed.

Catherine wrapped her arms around her. "Guys suck."

"They do suck."